Only had the car for a couple of weeks, but have noticed oncoming drivers flashing me at night as if to suggest I'm dazzling them.

 

Is there any way to adjust the beam level?

Skoda dealer says no (pre FL with xenons), but I'm not convinced.

Recon mine could be a just a little higher without dazzling so interested in what you find out.

I thought that you could do it with VCDS.  Unsure how but I'm sure I read that you set it in there somewhere.

VCDS or dealer tool (ODIS / VAS) put the headlights into learning mode, then adjust them.

Did you buy it second hand? If so did the previous owner fit some dodgy upgrades?

18 minutes ago, KevC_Derby said:

Did you buy it second hand? If so did the previous owner fit some dodgy upgrades?

Yes and no - it was pre-registered by the dealer and came to us with 30 miles on the clock, having sat on their forecourt for 3 months, so no dodgy mods there.

 

If it's a job for a VAS PC then I'll take it in and ask them if they can adjust it.

 

Cheers for the replies.

Take it back to the dealer before any DIY fix then.

18 minutes ago, Rab-k said:

Yes and no - it was pre-registered by the dealer and came to us with 30 miles on the clock, having sat on their forecourt for 3 months, so no dodgy mods there.

I'd bet that the dealer never even checked the headlight alignment, just "assumed" that the factory had set them correctly...

They can be adjusted - I complained about mine being too low (mainly driver side) and they eventually raised them, by the second time I asked.

...but..

Although I only complained about driver side, they raised both and I ended up with the passenger side too high and people complaining on the road.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ok so with a micro can can it be done, ie adjust the h/light height and if so where would I find learning mode in vcds? - not got the box with me so cannot play about currently!

13 minutes ago, Frenchtone said:

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ok so with a micro can can it be done, ie adjust the h/light height and if so where would I find learning mode in vcds? - not got the box with me so cannot play about currently!

 

Have you got alignment tools/template as per MOT stations? VCDS is only half the toolset needed.

Just now, KevC_Derby said:

 

Have you got alignment tools/template as per MOT stations? VCDS is only half the toolset needed.

You don't 100% need the tool/template, the alignment is 1.5 degrees below horizontal so you can do it on a level piece of ground provided you have a wall and a tape measure. That will probably be better, even as a temporary measure, than the current situation.

4 minutes ago, SWBoy said:

You don't 100% need the tool/template, the alignment is 1.5 degrees below horizontal so you can do it on a level piece of ground provided you have a wall and a tape measure. That will probably be better, even as a temporary measure, than the current situation.

 

True but 1.5 degs is not much to play with.

57 minutes ago, KevC_Derby said:

 

True but 1.5 degs is not much to play with.

If you park say 10ft from a wall, then it's surprising how much it adds up to... 3 1/8 inches.

as  above, got a local supermarket car park and wall and piece of board suitably marked, it has worked when aligning my Marlin  Berlinetta lights, and that got thro' the French MOT equivalent after my adjustments!

Looking at this https://mattersoftesting.blog.gov.uk/the-mot-headlamp-aim-test-is-changing/

 

Seems a bit odd using % where I would be expecting degrees.

Do they mean vertical distance as a % of the horizontal distance between headlights and vertical surface?

1 hour ago, Octy0GG said:

Do they mean vertical distance as a % of the horizontal distance between headlights and vertical surface?

Yes, degrees meant the testers need to understand trigonometry but % just means they need to be able to multiply.

It’s a % of the distance from the wall so 10 metres from the wall means a drop of 10cm from headlight height.

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqaJasC_h-A

 

I think this bloke's car is a slightly old golf, but is this the avenue for the vcds we'd be looking down?

 

Be interested to have a go on this on way car, as I feel the beam is too low, especially for motorway driving.

 

If you were to make any adjustments, does it change it all driving speeds?

2 hours ago, tunedude said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqaJasC_h-A

 

I think this bloke's car is a slightly old golf, but is this the avenue for the vcds we'd be looking down?

 

Be interested to have a go on this on way car, as I feel the beam is too low, especially for motorway driving.

 

If you were to make any adjustments, does it change it all driving speeds?

 

You need to make the adjustments with the lights on but NOT in auto mode.

I think it affects all modes, yes.

You can adjust headlights without using VCDS etc. I have done this to my 2016 with Xenon.

Adjusted 3 turns on the adjustment screws, but that was way to much so I moved them 2 turns down again.

No error, no problem.

 

On my 2004 Superb with xenon I had to use VCDS and set the lights to learning/adjustment mode.

The only tricky bit left now is the question of learn mode.

There are folk that are very clear that the Octavia 3 must be put into learn mode when setting lights......but others equally clear that is unnecessary. Both points of view seem entirely reasonable but unfortunately only one can be correct.  Given that a Skoda dealer believes they are non adjustable (that we can say with certainty is incorrect) we cant necessarily rely on them for answers.

 

Update

 

Spoke to Skoda dealer again, they now say it should be possible for them to adjust but that it's complicated because the car has to be put into a special mode - sounds like 'learn mode'

 

Not reporting this as fully checked fact - just what the dealer is telling me now.

 

On 04/04/2018 at 16:29, Octy0GG said:

Update

 

Spoke to Skoda dealer again, they now say it should be possible for them to adjust but that it's complicated because the car has to be put into a special mode - sounds like 'learn mode'

 

Not reporting this as fully checked fact - just what the dealer is telling me now.

 

 

Hi Octy0GG,

 

Did you finally manage to accomplish anything at the dealer's? Did they put your car into "learn mode" and fix the issue, or not? My LEDs are so low it's bordering on dangerous as if driving without light at night.

On 03/02/2020 at 17:27, pssecho said:

 

Hi Octy0GG,

 

Did you finally manage to accomplish anything at the dealer's? Did they put your car into "learn mode" and fix the issue, or not? My LEDs are so low it's bordering on dangerous as if driving without light at night.

Afraid not - Usual Skoda dealer response - there is no problem, the lights are fine. 

 

The lights probably are at the lower limit of spec, I just think they could be a bit higher without being too high for MOT